You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

I can't seem to get my primary doctor to help with the dry eyes at all! Very frustrating!!!!! As you know, probably very well, it hurts! I take over the counter gel. Sunlight is like I'm a vampire or something -- pure agony. Hopefully I can get into an eye doctor soon. Steriods seem to help in other areas so maybe it would help my eyes. Thanks for the posting!

Hi serand, I have dry eyes and use over the counter drops. My eye doc has me using it three times a day and it helps when I listen(grin). My mom was given an ointment she used at bedtime and the next day she felt much better. I hope someone can help you soon dear.

Hi serand, when I seen my rhem for the first time a couple of months ago she aske me when the last time I had a eye exam and I said it had been over 15 years she asked if I could get one even though I didn't say anything about my eyes, well after I went to the eye doctor I was surprised to learn I had dry eyes, they put me on restasis and I take it twice a day.

Do the dry eyes start out gradually? Just wondering because I've noticed over the past several months that when I wake up it is difficult to get my eyes opened. It's like they're dried shut. Once I get them open they are fine and I don't have any problems during the day so far.

Do the dry eyes start out gradually? Just wondering because I've noticed over the past several months that when I wake up it is difficult to get my eyes opened. It's like they're dried shut. Once I get them open they are fine and I don't have any problems during the day so far.

You might want to talk to your doctor because dry eyes can be symptom of sjogren's disease. It is not rare for a person who is diagnosed with 1 AI disease to end up getting more. It is called having overlapping diseases. Thankfully I haven't had much of that. I have trouble with my mouth. It gets so dry that I have to keep something to drink with me constantly. If not it gets so dry that my lips get stuck together and my tongue will get stuck to the roof of my mouth.

LOL isn't it strange the odd things that we go through?

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

I have been taking Exovac 2 x's daily (although it's rx'ed for 3 x's I don't take any other meds mid-day so I always forget the second dose). I have noticed a definite improvement in the amount of saliva I have.

I have been taking Exovac 2 x's daily (although it's rx'ed for 3 x's I don't take any other meds mid-day so I always forget the second dose). I have noticed a definite improvement in the amount of saliva I have.

Really? I may have to talk to my doctor about that. Thanks!

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

"BonusMom" or anyone else that has experience with Exovac- My doctor prescribed me exovac as well, but I was not so keen to add another pill to my daily pill intake. I tend to fear side effects... Did it have any side effects that were noticeable? I would love to solve the problem of dry mouth. For dry eye, I find cheap over the counter eye drops to work really well. I wish there was something more like that for dry mouth. I tried biotene mouthwash but it wasn't so helpful.

Thanks for sharing this! I have a couple questions, as I was diagnosed only a few months ago.

1. Why is it a problem for some of us to go in the sun? I remember my doctor said I should avoid the sun but why is that?
2. Why are sulfa drugs bad for us? I don't think I'm allergic to sulfa, and my doctor hadn't mentioned this to me.

Thanks for sharing this! I have a couple questions, as I was diagnosed only a few months ago.

1. Why is it a problem for some of us to go in the sun? I remember my doctor said I should avoid the sun but why is that?
2. Why are sulfa drugs bad for us? I don't think I'm allergic to sulfa, and my doctor hadn't mentioned this to me.

There is a great thread about the problems with us and sunlight. It can be found here

As for the sulfa drugs, there are a couple of reasons for this. The main one is that people with Lupus (SLE, Discoid, SCLE) tend to be more apt to rashes. Sulfa drugs can intensify or even cause rashes on us. The other, more important reason, is that they can make our disease worse. According to Johns Hopkins sulfa drugs are actually the trigger to turn on Lupus in some people and, in people that already have Lupus, can intensify a flare. There is some great information found below
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center

Hope this helps!

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.